JBL home cinema installation

Well I've decided too start early with the surround rather than doing this in the summertime so here it goes for tonight's project if I can get these two installed for the height surround array which will consist of x10 JBL Control 1 with x4 for each section of the ceiling and finally ending up with just x2 towards the front.

I'll start of with wall plugging the ceiling and hope they stay up LOL, as it would be quite a bump on the head!

So far the array of just x8 is warm sounding and changes in the soundtrack on Apollo 13 where it cuts from mission control to the command module really changes the size of the surrounds it's if the sound closes in all around me.

Again starting at just £49.98 for the JBL Control 1 this is one surround project that leaves my friends crawling in the dust!

I'll replace the exciting height surrounds where there frequency response power handling is a little on the poor side. But they have severed very well since November 2005 where they was installed for Star Wars episode 3 Revenge of the Sith.

Well I have a new set now and by towards the end of the night I should have the height surrounds really starting to take there place wit some very cool sounding effects overhead!

Well firstly I measured the distance from the coving that goes around the sides of the ceiling from the inside. I have calculated around 26" from the edge of the coving to the first position of the JBL Control 1 height surround and 26" from the back wall this will hopeful place them in position where I can keep adding and adding on more until I reach the required number of x10 height surrounds.

I had to remove the existing height surround one by one.

The tools for the mission

I took the liberty to have a look inside the new JBL Control 1 has this does differ from the earlier models, it appears to be lighter in weight. So I hope it stays put!

Note the difference between this bass mid driver from a later JBL Control 1

I hate heights! What I mean is I'm not too comfortable with heights even at 2ft 2" off the floor I'm terrified. But just think what it's going to sound like with a matching JBL Control1 surround array and with the heights the timbre matching of sounds will be awesome...

...I will have to patch up the ceiling due to some plaster braking away no big deal a tub of filler does amazing things these days. Cabling will be eventually tidied up with cable ducting fitted to the ceiling as well along the corners and down to each JBL Control 1 surround speaker.

Well here's what I've been up to in the last 2 hours plus!

I had to remove the existing height surround one by one.

Then fit the mounting bracket to the ceiling with x4 screws that I hope bit into the wood that is behind it.

I must say it took 36 minutes alone to fit just x1 JBL Control to the ceiling, god I hope this holds, the site of it makes my skin crawl.

Anyway fitting it was scary for me as I hate heights, getting the (mould nut) was little orchard to attach due to the angle I was in. A small hole is fitted around the (mould nut) with where a pole can be fitted and thus turning it around to tighten it up is made easy.

Step by step I attached the parts to the JBL Control 1 for height surround installation.

Getting close and now wow, the sight of it make me feel dizzy when looking at the picture. Well I said I was going to install height surrounds via a matching array of JBL Control 1 and now that is a reality it's possible and there it is.

Well I've have had a 30 minute break it's back to work for the next JBL Control 1, which is going to present a tighter difficulty as you will see from the pictures in the next post in the next hour or so.

Well so far so good, no awesome is the word and only x8 more JBL Control 1 for the height surrounds to go now.

All I have to do at present is re-calibrate the surrounds centre back sides and height surrounds. I'll start off with the heights then move over to the centre back and then finally calibrate the sidewall surrounds

Superman Returns is totally surrounding me and this is just with the four-channel JBL surround array truly awesome, wow this like being at the Empire Leicester square really it's just too damn exciting here.

With airplane sequence in chapters 10 though to 12 where wind and music and with Superman's speed racing against incredible odds looking upwards and from side to side and back as well it was a mad scene that was delivered with precision.

This angle was kinder tight to get as well as the tightening up of the (mould nut).

Wow during chapter 35 where Superman throws out one mighty piece of rock the levels on the four-channel array JBL Control 1 surrounds really heightens the scene with the choir and has his body hits the ground a very soft boom reverbs around the room.

Did I know, well have JBL and being a true JBL fan is another thing once bitten by the Lucasfilm JBL sound system bug in the cinema you'll be hooked for years, this is my 17th year now and it's about to get big huge around here, hopefully over the next year!

You really need matching fronts Joe, matching. Do you have separate equalization control over the fronts and an RTA unit to check frequency response not to mention the good ole trusty SPL db metre? It takes patience to set all this up and thou mine is more complex as I strive for excellence you too can follow in the same approach.

So far the JBL Control surround array has cost £240.90 UK not bad going considering I'm using x10 and most you spend or rather overlook the surround array and with a mere x4 surrounds costing far more over what I have thought out and installed is very doable.

Wow the Superman end credits theme is about to role, and I'm going to some calibration now and enjoy a few more than a few films with some Superfast tests!

I have spent quite some time doing research on surround applications and saved alot of money to get this system the way I wanted it. All surrounds are at 6ft in height from the floor and have a 20deg angle downward. The two side surrounds are placed 15deg in front of ear level, while the back surrounds are equidistant from the corners as they are from each other. The two fronts have been moved and moved over and over again to achieve the utmost in imaging and create the illusion of disappearing. All wires are monster seen here with all connections being made with the banana plugs :http://www.monstercable.com/productPage.asp?pin=37

The last time I went to a local cinema, I was sorely disappointed Obviously we have nothing like the wicked theater you posted in "movies" section, but still there should be a level of quality that the theaters do not go below in order for people to be drawn back to them. I can honestly say that with the soundproofing, fabric lined walls with totally black walls and ceiling, XBOX360, automated lighting control, bright red microfiber 10ft x 8ft sofa, and over 500 movies on hand there aren't many places I would rather be on a rainy day.

There was a time when I owned some clothes and a drug habit only. I feel very grateful for all I have but also proud for what I've built.

A video projector yes, if I won a plasma TV I will sale on ebay just enough to get cash for a video projector and I will still keep the SONY CRT.

Joseph

Well that's a nice set-up very nice just hope you can get the best out of the centre, the closer to the front wall the lower frequency response and the better some type of sound effects like in the opening of Titanic with the submersible hard in the centre.

Other films like Star Trek III when the space dock doors open with huge impact then the sound moves over to the LFE.1 while centre and left and right produce some powerful low end that gives creditability to the scene.

Or you can build a THX baffle wall for the fronts and sub bass.

Anyway I'm getting some sleep now this whole thing was really exhausting it really was and that was just x2 if I had brought the whole bulk I would dead to the world now, so the next set will be going in-between the x2 height surrounds.

The next set of x4 will go 16" in front with the last x2 placed 16" in front that would finally conclude the height surrounds which by the way receives a totally different signal from the side and centre back surrounds.

I only have x6 JBL Control 1 to place on the sidewall and x2 more on the back wall and a further x6 to be placed above the existing back wall surrounds. Yes that is x32 JBL Control 1. The Empire uses x42 JBL 8340 surrounds and yet I'm planning to pop along for the new Mel Gibson film "Apocalypto" in the next few weeks the film opens this Friday exclusively at the Empire in THX!

Around 600 watts, it's been powered by a Marantz 1050 at the present moment and for what it is doing no worries at all the sub bass placed on top of the JBL 4645 is used for sub bass extension only it's capable of going down 30Hz with slam deep depth and kick!

The JBL 4645 does the same and only a whole lot lower and louder as well! Drop on over for Superman returns very exhilarating awesome, same goes with X-men III the last stand when Jean, uses her powers by lifting objects and keeping them suspended along with the house until it is finally dropped to stand still slam of 115dbc in the center of the room on the LFE.1 track.

I'll be soon upgrading the amplification from the original specification that is currently in to a much more expanding home cinema experience, watch this space!